Electric switch



J. S. LAWSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Dec; 9, 1930.

Filed July 17,- 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR (7066 .5. KawaonATTORNEYS Dec. 9, 1930.

J. s. LAWSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 17, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR .J'Z 5. Lawson ATTORN EYS J. S. LAWSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Dec. 9,1930.

Filed July 17, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR '/&e2 5. lla/zason/ BY MATTORNEYS J. S. LAWSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed July 17, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 I hue- .1 IH II =1 illllullllllllllll INVENTOR .75 e Z .5. Zia/20.3072

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED i, STATES: PA-TE OFFIQE; I

JOEL s. LAWSON, OF- s'r. mums, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T03 MEMooiiiueninnn-inorv s. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, mo, F NEWYORK-,.1\T;'Y.,ATCO'RPORATION onznnw Application filed. July 1'7,

My invention relates to electric switches, and particularly to a switchcapable of efficient service in an exposed or out-of-door installationin a highvoltage line.

Among the objects of my invention may be mentioned, first, a generallyimproved layout of the switch by which a' wide, quick; break isattained; secon d,means by which the cooperating contacts of the switchare housed againstthe elements both in open and closed circuitpositions; third, contacts of improved construction; fourth,improvedarcing horns; and fifth, various details 'of construction. which will behereinafter described or appear in the accompanying drawings in which-Fig.1 is a side elevation of a switch in which my invention is embodiedin one form;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the driving gear of theswitch;

Fig. 1 is an enlarged horizontal section through the cooperating switchcontacts;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan View of amodified switch construction; I

Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereof.

The switch in both forms shown is designed for out-door installation inhigh voltage transmission lines, and fallsin the gen.- eral classof airbreak switches. A switch of this character is customarily located at thehead of a tower, of which only the beam is shown, uponwhich the switchissecured." It will of course be understood that like switches areinstalled in each phase of. the power line,

and are operated in unison.

Secured in fixed position and suitably spaced apart on the beam 15 arefixed post insulators 16 and 17. Adjacent the latter but spaced furtherapart on the beam are swivelling post insulators 18 and 19. The footpieces 20 of the latter are provided with downwardly extending studs 21which pass through step bearings 22 secured to the beam 15. Attached to,and preferably integral with,'the foot pieces 2.0 of the insulators 18and 19, are crank arms 23 and 24 connected together by the rod 25 tocause the insulators to rotate in unison. A second crank arm 26 securedto and also preferably integral with ELECTRIC SWITGH! 1925. Serial.No... 44,294.

the foot piece of the insulator 19,,b11textend} ing at an angle ofapproximately 90? to crank arm-23, is hinged to the switch actuat ingbar 27 (Fig.2). Upon, displacement of the bar 27 in the direction ofitslength, the insulators 18.an d 19. are caused to rotate" in the samedirection on their respective axes.

ment 33 meshing with the bevel gear 29..

Straddling the gear box and keyed tothe pro.- jecting ends'ofthe rockshaft 32 are the end fork members 34:. of the switch arm 35.

The gear box is provided with. a cover 36 which may be detachablyconnectedto the end walls of the gear box for ready removal incident toinspection, lubrication and repair of the gear elements. A strut37extends from the gear box to the'head of the adjacent fixed insulator 17to which it is secured, so that the insulator posts17 19 mutually steadyand support each other. I

At the opposite end of the gear box is secured a terminal bracket 38carrying a connector 39 to.wh ich the power cable i0. is

secured. A flexible. conductor-Z41 also se-' cured to. the connectorSO-passes over the gear box cover to the switch arm35. Gross braces 42between. the side members of the switch arm form al'attice through whichthe flexible conductor 41 is laced, and thus ii maintained in position.Preferably the flex ibleconductor comprises two. strands (Fig; 2)between which the line current is dis tributed. V r I Jointed at 43 toone end of thearm 35 is the contact-carrying extension 44 thereof. Aradius. arm 45,.joined at 46 to the extension 44:, is hinged at 47 tothe cap of the stationary insulator 17. -The radius armcar- I ries anarcing horn 48- which cooperates with the arcing horn 49 on opening ofthe switch.

Before describing further the details of certain of the switch elements,the general operation of the switchmay be pointed out. When theactuating bar 27 is shifted in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), itcauses rotation of the insulators 18 and 19, and thus the rotation ofthe bevel gears 29. The meshing engagement of the segments 33 causes theswitch arms 35 to swing upward. While thejeXtensions 44 partake bodilyin the upward swing of arms 35, they form connecting links between thesearms and the radius arms 45. The latter are of such length and theirpivot points areso located, however, that the free ends of theyextension links 44 at which the switch contacts are located, swingfltothe downwardly inclined position indicated in broken lines. injFig. 1.-Upon the partingof the switchcon'tacts, the

current is transferred to thehorn members 48 and 49, which eventuallypart near their tips and sweep rapidly to upright or slightly pastupright position, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. The reversedis-.

placement of the actuating bar 27 "returns the parts to thecircuit-closing position illustrated I It is important that theswitchcontacts be protected. against. accumulations of snow, sleet, etc.Forthis purpose I' surround the contacts with sleet hoods 50 and 51,respectively, connected to the ends of the extension links 44 andsurrounding the respective con tacts. As noted from Figsr4 and v5 thehood 50 is largerjthan the hood 51, and embraces the open end of thelatter in circuit-closing position. The engaging surfaces of thecontacts are thus completely housed against the elements. In opencircuit position the contacts hang downward, and the hoods formeffective rain, snow and sleet sheds by which the parts are kept inproper condition-for reestablishment of the circuit when the coin tactsare again moved tocirc'uit-closin'g position. Y

The contacts (Figs. 4 and 5) are of an improved construction to obtaingood electrical connection- One of the contactsconsists of a rigid blade52, which may be integral with the lug 53 to which the terminals 54 ofthe. flexible conductors 41 are directly connected by screw bolts 55.Bolts 56 rigidly secure this contact and its associated members to theend of the link 44. The cooperating contact comprises a. pair of springstraps 57 having spaced parallel brushes 58 adapted to embrace betweenthem the rigid contact blade 52, the brushes being connected by guidebevels 59 and spring bends 60 to their respective body members 57.Auxiliary plate springs 61 bear against the outer faces of the brushes58 and aid the spring bends 60in effecting an-efficient frictional 2)are secured to-the free ends of the radius bars 45. One of the hornmembers, viz, 48, comprises a pair of independent rods, the

free ends of which 66 are offset in opposite directions'to guide theassociated horn mem ber 49 into engagement therewith on theclosing ofthe switch. The'opposite ends of the rods are passed through angledflanges 67 at-the ends of the .opposite side members of the radius barsand securedat 68 thereto.

The cooperating horn member 49 has the form of a straight sided loop,the side rods of which are connected by a V-bridge 69, the rounded nose70 1of which serves as an entering, wedge which aidsin properly locatingthis member with respect to the cooperating arms of the horn member48when the circuit is closed. The horn members are in'electricalconnection with the radius bars 45, and these in turn with the f'contactcarrying extension 44 of the arm 35 through the bolt members 68whichpass through both.

In Figs. 6 and 7,.is illustrated a modified switch construction whichmay be used to advantage in circuits. of lower voltage. In

this construction, the contact carrying link 75 is hinged at 76 to thearm 77 pivoted at 78 to a terminal bracket 79 carried by a clamp 80 atthe top of a fixed insulator 81. The radius member which is pivoted at82 to the link 75,

constitutes in this construction, the switch operating member.

the head of a rocking insulator 85, the base 86 of which is clamped to arock shaft 87.

It comprises a bracket 83'secured to or integral with a clamp 84 at Tothe crank arm 88 of the latter is pivoted at 89 the, operating rod 90. Asecond crank arm9l is connected through link 92 with the crank arm 93 onthe second crank shaft 94, upon which the corresponding insulator 85 andits associated parts 'are'mounted.

To open theswitch the bar 90 is pulled downward, thus causing theinsulators 85 to 1. A high tension electric switch,.comprising a pairof'pivoted radius members inclined toward each other in closed circuitposition, arcing horns carried by said radius members and engaging eachother in circuit closing position, but moving upward and away from eachother on movement of the radius arms to open circuit position, incombination with a toggle system comprising a contact arm connected tothe radius arms and substantially horizontal in closed circuit position,but displaced to inclined position with the contact end downward onmovement of the parts to open circuit position.

2. A high tension circuit breaker comprising two pivotally mountedcontact members, arcing horns connected therewith, sleet hoods movablewith and housing said contacts, said sleet hoods telescoping in closedcircuit position of the contacts to protect the contacts, in combinationwith linkage mechanism to move said contacts between open and closedcircuit position.

3. A high tension circuit breaker comprising two movable contactmembers, arcing horns connected therewith, sleet hoods housing saidcontacts and movable therewith, said sleet hoods telescoping in closedcircuit position of said contacts to protect said contacts, incombination with means to move said contacts between open and closedcircuit position and in open circuit position of said contacts to facesaid sleet hoods downwardly.

i. A high tension circuit breaker comprising two pivotally' mountedcontact members, arcing horns connected therewith, sleet hoods housingsaid contacts and movable therewith, in combination with means to movesaid contacts between open and closed circuit position, said meansmoving said contacts in substantially a straight line path during thelast portion of their closing movement whereby said sleet hoods maycontacts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOEL S. LAWSON.

telescope to protect said

